LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 80TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

March 19, 2007

TO:	Honorable Kevin Bailey, Chair, House Committee on Urban Affairs
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB1052 by Callegari (Relating to requiring warning signs before intersections at which a municipality uses a photographic traffic monitoring system to enforce compliance with a traffic-control signal.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend Chapter 544, Transportation Code, to require a municipality that uses a photographic traffic monitoring system to post signs that would notify drivers that they are approaching an intersection that is monitored by a photographic system. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) would be required to specify the shape, color, dimensions, wording, and reflectorization of the signs.

Currently TxDOT executes Municipal Maintenance Agreements with municipalities operating red-light systems on the state highway system. These agreements suggest that the municipality "should" erect such signs alerting motorists of the automated enforcement system. Passage of the proposed legislation would require a change of this agreement, along with the enactment of rules to incorporate the signage requirements. The agency anticipates it could make these modifications utilizing existing resources.

Local Government Impact

If an affected municipality has already erected signs, as per the suggestion in the Municipal Maintenance Agreements, there would be no fiscal impact. If signs have not been erected, the municipality would incur costs of having the signs made and installed. According to TxDOT, the average cost of a small mounted sign is between $125 and $425 and of a larger mounted sign is between $350 and $500. The cost to the municipality would vary depending on how many intersections would require signage.

Source Agencies:

601 Department of Transportation

LBB Staff:

JOB, DB